Kundalini yoga is known as one of the most powerful types of yoga. Sometimes it was called the mother of all the Styles of Yoga. This type of yoga awakens the energy at the base of our spine which is known as the Muladhara Chakra.
ajna, biological energy, creative energy, dormant energy, fundamental resource, higher self, kunda, manipura, muladhara chakra, power and energy, primal force, rajas, sadhana, sahasrara, sakti, source energy, three gunas, yoga kundalini Mani-pura-cakra (1) is a ten-petalled golden lotus, situated above the last in the region of the navel. “Fire” evolved from “air” is the Tattva of the cakra. The ten petals are of the colours of a cloud, and on them are the blue varnas - “dam”, “dham”, “nam”, “tam”, “tham”, “dam”, “dham”, “nam”, “pam”, “pham” - and the ten vrttis (vide ante), namely, lajja (shame), pisunata (fickleness), irsa (jealousy), trsna (desire), susupti (laziness), (2) visada (sadness), kasaya (dullness), moha (ignorance), ghrna (aversion, disgust), bhaya (fear). Read more »
agni, auspicious signs, bhaskara, cakra, golden lotus, lord of fire, moha, molten gold, rudra, samaya, solar region Anahata-cakra is a deep red lotus of twelve petals, situate above the last and in the region of the heart, which is to be distinguished from the heart-lotus facing upwards of eight petals, spoken of in the text, where the patron deity (Ista-devata) is meditated upon. “Air” evolved from “ether” is the Tattva of the former lotus. On the twelve petals are the vermilion varnas - “Kam”, “Kham” “Gam”, “Gham”, “ngam”, “cam”, “Cham”, “Jam”, “Jham”, “jnam”, “Tam”, “Tham” and the twelve vrttis (vide ante-namely, asa (hope), cinta (care, anxiety), cesta (endeavour), mamata (sense of mineness),(1) dambha (arrogance or hypocrisy) vikalata (langour), ahamkara (conceit), viveka (discrimination), lolata (covetousness), kapatata (duplicity), vitarka (indecision), anutapa (regret). Read more »
anahata, atma, cakra, heart, ista, lolata, mandala, pericarp, petals, red lotus Visuddha-cakra or Bharatisthana, abode of the Devi of speech, is above the last and at the lower end of the throat (kantha-mula). The Tattva of this cakra is “ether”. The lotus is of a smoky colour, or the colour of fire seen through smoke. It has sixteen petals, which carry the red vowels - “am”, “âm”, “im” “îm” “um” “ûm” “rm” “ŗm” “1m”, “1m”, “em”, “aim”, “om”, “aum”, am”, “ah”; the seven musical notes (nisada, rsabha, gandhara, sadja, madhyama, dhaivata and pancama): “venom” (in the eighth petal); the bijas “hum”, “phat”, “vausat”, “vasat “, “svadha”, “svaha”, “namah”, and in the sixteenth petal, nectar (amrta). Read more »
akasa, aum, cakra, desire, ether, mudras, om, petals, red lotus, santosha, tantras Ajna-cakra is also called parama-kula and mukta, tri-veni, since it is from here that the three nadis - Ida, Pingala and Susumna - go their separate ways. It is a two petalled lotus, situated between the two eyebrows. In this cakra there is no gross Tattva, but the subtle Tattva mind is here. Hakarardha, or half the letter Ha, is also there. On its petals are the red varnas “ham” and “ksam” Read more »
ajna, cakra, gunas, hamsa, jnana, ksam, linga, mukta, nadis, om, parama, petals, rajas, sattva, siddha, visnu Above the ajna-cakra there is another secret cakra called manas-cakra. It is a lotus of six petals, on which are sabda-jnana, sparsa-jnana, rupa-jnana, aghranopalabhi, rasopabhoga, and svapna, or the faculties of hearing, touch, sight, smell, taste, and sleep, or the absence of these. Above this, again, there is another secret cakra, called Soma-cakra. Read more »
ajna, bindu, cakra, dhyana meditation, feet of the guru, hamsa, jnana, kala, kalas, nada, nectar, nirvana, sabda, soma, thousand petalled lotus, vinaya The third, or highest, class of man is he of the divya-bhava (of which, again, there are several degrees-some but a stage in advance of the highest form of vira-bhava, others completely realizing the deva-nature), in which rajas operates on sattva-guna to the confirmed preponderance of the latter. Read more »
bhairava, deva, divya, guru, japa, nitya, pasu, rajas, sastra, sattva, vira THE Guru is the religious teacher and spiritual guide to whose direction orthodox Hindus of all divisions of worshippers submit themselves. There is in reality but one Guru. The ordinary human Guru is but the manifestation on the phenomenal plane of the Adinatha Maha-kala, the Supreme Guru abiding in Kailasa. (1) Read more »
disciple, divine birth, gurus, guru mantra, initiation, kailasa, natural birth, necessary qualifications, orthodox hindus, religious teacher, sacred knowledge, spiritual guide, supreme guru, tantra INITIATION is the giving of mantra by the guru.(1) At the time of initiation the guru must first establish the life of the Guru in his own body; that is the vital force (prana-sakti) of the Supreme Guru whose abode is in the thousand-petalled lotus. Read more »
cakra, feet of the guru, initiation, japa, kula, kusa, mantra, nada, prana sakti, sexual continence, spiritual knowledge, supreme guru, thousand petalled lotus ABHISEKA is of eight kinds, and the forms of abhiseka which follow the first at later stages, mark greater and greater degrees of initiation. (1) The first saktabhiseka is given on entrance into the path of sadhana. It is so called because the guru then reveals to the sisya the preliminary mysteries of sakti-tattva. Read more »
asana, attainment, disciple, guru, hamsa, krama, parama, purna, rsi, sacred thread, sadhana, yama, yoga There are seven, or, as some say, nine, divisions of worshippers. The extra divisions are bracketed in the following quotation. The Kularnava-Tantra mentions seven, which are given in their order of superiority, the first being the lowest: Vedacara, Vaisnavacara, Saivacara, Daksinacara, Vamacara, Siddhantacara, (Aghoracara,(1) Yogacara), and Kaulacara, the highest of all.(2) Read more »
acara, bhakti, devotion, dharma, dhyana, gross body, jnana, kalika, kaula, kularnava tantra, subtle bodies, worshipper Kaula-dharma is in no wise sectarian, but, on the contrary, is the heart of all sects. This the true meaning of the phrase which, like many another touching the Tantra, is misunderstood, and used to fix the kaula with hypocrisy - antah-saktah, bahihsaivah, sabhayam vaisnavamatah, nana-rupadharah kaulah vicaranti mahitale; (outwardly Saivas; in gatherings, (1) Vaisnavas; at heart, Saktas; under various forms the Kaulas wander on earth). Read more »
cremation, funeral rites, gnosis, hamsa, heart, jnana, kaula, parama, passions, phases of the moon, pisaca, samsara, tantra Sabda, or sound, which is of the Brahman, and as such the cause of the Brahmanda, is the manifestation of the Cit-sakti itself. The Visva-sara-Tantra says (1) that the Para-brahman, as Sabda-brahman, whose substance is all mantra, exists in the body of the jivatma. It is either unlettered (dhvani) or lettered (varna). The former, which produces the latter, is the subtle aspect of the jiva’s vital sakti. Read more »
akasa, body waves, brahman, ethereal space, external manifestation, inhalation and exhalation, jiva, letters of the alphabet, mantra, nada, prana, sabda, space waves, varna, vayu, waves of sound By mantra the sought-for (sadhya) Devata is attained and compelled. By siddhi in mantra is opened the vision of the three worlds. Though the purpose of worship (puja), reading (patha), hymn (stava), sacrifice (homa), dhyana, dharana, and samadhi, and that of the diksa-mantra are the same, yet the latter is far more powerful, and this for the reason that, in the first, the sadhaka’s sadhana-sakti works, in conjunction with mantra-sakti which has the revelation and force of fire, and than which nothing is more powerful. Read more »
bija, hymns of praise, mantra, mantras, monosyllabic, nitya, nyasa, puja, quintessence, saumya, tantrik This word is the common term for worship of which there are numerous synonyms in the Sanskrit language.(1) Puja is done daily of the Ista-devata or the particular Deity worshipped by the sadhaka - the Devi in the case of a Sakta, Visnu in the case of a Vaisnava, and so forth. Read more »
asana, ganesa, ista, puja, sanskrit language, visnu The bodies of the Devata are composed of the fifty matrkas. The sadhaka, therefore, first sets mentally (antar matrka-nyasa) in their several places in the six cakras, and then externally by physical action (Bahyamatrkanyasa) the letters of the alphabet which form the different parts of the body of the Devata, which is thus built up in the sadhaka himself. He places his hand on different parts of his body, uttering distinctly at the same time the appropriate matrka for that part. Read more »
ajna, anahata, bindu, ksam, letters of the alphabet, lotus, mental disposition, nyasa, om, vam, vowels There are as already stated, three classes of men - Pasu, Vira, and Divya. The operation of the gunas which produce these types affect, on the gross material plane, the animal tendencies, manifesting in the three chief physical functions - eating and drinking, whereby the annamayakosa is maintained, and sexual intercourse, by which it is reproduced. These functions are the subject of the pancatattva or pancamakara (”five m’s”), as they are vulgarly called - viz : madya (wine), mamsa (meat), matsya (fish), mudra (parched grain), and maithuna (coition). Read more »
coition, divya, five elements, gunas, maithuna, mudra, pasu, sadhana, sexual energy, sexual intercourse, symbolic equivalent, tantra, tantric ritual, true hero, vira The elements in their literal sense are not available in sadhana for all. The nature of the Pasu requires strict adherence to Vaidik rule in the matter of these physical functions even in worship. This rule prohibits the drinking of wine, a substance subject to the three curses of Brahma, Kaca, and Krsna, in the following terms; Madyam apeyam adeyam agrahyam (”Wine (1) must not be drunk, given, or taken”). Read more »
fish, householder, kaca, krsna, maithuna, pasu, ritual purposes, sadhana, sexual act, sexual intercourse, strict adherence, visnu, wine The Tantra enforces the Vaidik rule in the cases, ritual or otherwise, for those who are governed by the vaidikacara. The Nitya-Tantra says: ‘(They (pasu) should never worship the Devi during the latter part of the day, in the evening or at night” (ratrau naiva yajeddevim samdhyayam va paranhake); for all such worship connotes maithuna prohibited to the pasu. In lieu of it, varying substitutes (1) are prescribed, such as either an offering of flowers with the hands formed into the kaccapamudra, or union with the worshipper’s own wife. Read more »
adhikari, fish meat, maithuna, mudra, pasu, poison, sadhana, tantra, vira, wine and women Owing, however, to abuses, particularly as regards the tattva of madya and maithuna, this Tantra, according to the current version, prescribes in certain cases, limitations as regards their use. It prescribes (1) that when the Kaliyuga is in full strength, and in the case of householders (grhastha) whose minds are engrossed with worldly affairs, the “three sweets” (madhuratraya) are to be substituted for wine. Those who are of virtuous temperament, and whose minds are turned towards the Brahman, are permitted to take five cups of wine. Read more »
brahman, japa, kali age, lotus feet, maithuna, mother of the universe, passions, sadhana, siddha, tantra, wine, worshipper The object of all sadhana is the stimulation of the sattvaguna. When by such sadhana this guna largely preponderates, the sattvika sadhana suitable for men of a high type of divyabhava is adopted. In this latter sadhana the names of the pancatattva are used symbolically for operations of a purely mental and spiritual character. Read more »
akara, atma, fish, hamsa, kundalini, maithuna, mudra, pranayama, sadhana, spiritual character, wine, worshipper, yogini Worship with the pancatattva generally takes place in an assembly called a cakra, which is composed of men (sadhaka) and women (sakti), or Bhairava and Bhairavi. Read more »
bhairava, brahma, cakra, deva, distinction, divya, mahanirvana tantra, mantra, pasu, raja, rudra, vira, wine jar Thiss word, derived from the root Yuj (”to join”), is in grammar samdhi, in logic avayavasakti, or the power of the parts taken together and in its most widely known and present sense the union of the jiva or embodied spirit, with the Paramatma, or Supreme Spirit (1) and the practices by which this union may be attained. Read more »
jiva, jnana, munis, sastra, supernatural, supreme spirit, yoga, yuj Sthirata, or fortitude, is acquired by the practice of the mudras. The mudras dealt with in works of hathayoga are positions of the body. Read more »
brahman, contraction, fire water, gheranda samhita, hamsa, mudras, nostrils, prana, siva From pranayama (q.v.) arises laghava (lightness).
All beings say the ajapa-Gayatri, which is the expulsion of the breath by Hamkara, and its inspiration by Sahkara, 21,600 times a day. Ordinarily, the breath goes forth a distance of 12 fingers’ breadth, but in singing, eating, walking, sleeping, coition, the distances are 16, 20, 24, 30, and 36 breadths respectively. Read more »
bija, coition, exhalation, gayatri, guru, inspiration, japa, nadi, nyasa, pranayama, vital airs Lastly, through samadhi the quality of nirliptatva, or detachment, and thereafter mukti (liberation) is attained. Samadhi considered as a process is intense mental concentration, with freedom from all samkalpa, and attachment to the world, and all sense of “mineness,” or self-interest (mamata). Considered as the result of such process it is the union of Jiva with the Paramatrna.(1) Read more »
anahata, atma, bhakti yoga, bliss, brahman, dhyana yoga, manas, meditation, mental concentration, nada, rajayoga, samadhi yoga, visnu The piercing of the six chakras is one of the most important subjects dealt with in the Tantra, and is part of the practical yoga process of which they treat. Details of practice (1) can only be learnt from a Guru, but generally it may be said that the particular is raised to the universal life, which as cit is realizable only in the sahasrara in the following manner: The jivatma in the subtle body, the receptacle of the five vital airs (panca-prana), mind in its three aspects of manas, ahamkara, and buddhi, and the five organs of perception (pancajnanendriyas) is united with the Kulakundalini. The Kandarpa or Kama Vayu in the muladhara, a form of the Apana-Vayu, is given a leftward revolution and the fire wich is around Kundalini is kindled. By the bija “Hum,” and the heat of the fire thus kindled, the coiled and sleeping Kundalini is awakened. She who lay asleep around svayambhu-linga, with her coils three circles and a half closing the entrance of the brahmadvara, will, on being roused, enter that door and move upwards, united with the jivatma. Read more »
apas, bija, chakras, dakini, deva, kundalini, lam, lotus, prana, sarasvati, savitri, vam, vayu Karma is action, its cause, and effect. There is no uncaused action, nor action without effect. The past, the present, and the future are linked together as one whole. The iccha, jnana, and kriya saktis manifest in the jivatma living on the worldly plane as desire, knowledge, and action. Read more »
attainment, births, cause and effect, desire, desires, indra, jiva, karma, kriya, misery, phenomenal world, samsara, samskara
Discover how Yoga increases concentration, will power and relaxes the body
